Scientists from Imperial College London and the University of Surrey found drugs that treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might also successfully treat key aspects of Alzheimer’s disease.
The research is published in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry and was conducted by Dr. Michael C B David et al.
Noradrenergic drugs target the neurotransmitter noradrenaline, also called norepinephrine, which is released by a network of specialized noradrenergic neurons.
This network is critical for arousal and many cognitive processes, including attention, learning, memory, readiness for action, and suppression of inappropriate behaviors.
Noradrenergic disruption occurs early in Alzheimer’s disease and contributes to the cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms that characterize the condition.
This suggests that the noradrenergic system would be a good target for drug treatment.
In the study, the team reviewed 19 randomized controlled trials focusing on Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment, involving 1811 patients.
The drugs they examined included atomoxetine, methylphenidate, and guanfacine, which had been used to potentially improve cognitive and/or neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with neurodegenerative disease.
The team found a strong effect of noradrenergic drugs on overall cognitive functions.
They also found a large positive effect of noradrenergic drugs on apathy in Alzheimer’s disease.
The team says that repurposing established noradrenergic drugs is most likely to offer effective treatment in Alzheimer’s disease for general cognition and apathy.
They suggest that there is a strong rationale for further clinical trials of noradrenergic treatments in Alzheimer’s disease.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about a new drug to protect against cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s, and why women are more susceptible to Alzheimer’s.
For more information about brain health, please see recent studies about a key to activating the ‘fountain of youth’ in the brain, and results showing these nutrients can improve your brain health, and cognitive function.
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